Ronor~l~ nortlur Brwn 

Rxeautln swanty 

Twaher lhtirrwnt 8yBta of TWRR 

~AWuti8, Taxu 

Dear ml-1 

clplnion lo. o-no09 

R.1 Proooduro r0r dl8bur8amoat 

of touther ntlrount RyRt4!84!8y:~~ trotr hen- 

. 

ue hwo your l&term of Ydmuy P6, MU, and 

March 11, 19b0, end l copj, of a letter wI&wud to you, 

81~14 by Mr. U. Il. lb-, uhloh l.8 dated )bMh 9, 1940. 

There letterm preoent the follauing f%ok: 

ltwgRr8t T. fbnry, ulte or u. n. Renry, u&8 at 

the t 1~ of her death 8 meabw OF the Teaohm Retimment 

Systa of Toxw. mt T. lb- dlrrd en lbrah 10, 1939, 

but had, $rior to her dmth, de8lgmted her dRugJIter, 

TheadorU~ Rwry,48lnor,u herbenctLa1 

"I: 

to noelve the 

rrtura of her ucurul8tad eontrlbuticnm in ho Tmcihor Retlraat 8y8ta In the wont of her, mrguwt T. ikary'B, 

6mth befare ntimwnt. The amount OutdRndlng to the 

wodlt of Mt T. Ronry at tha tlm of her dwth uu 

$31.05. t&h Fdrwry 16, 1940, Theodorl8, the rlabr~ushter 

U bmofloiy of Mhr@retT. Rwy,dbd uhllethe 

dove amount U&B Hill ia the hmxl~ OS the TeROhW Retlnrrnt 8ysrta. Thmdorir mary 18 rumivd only by her 

father, U.II. IWary, R brother, Robert Alphonao Maw, and 

l a l& o r , Iflrr Wlllle krguwtk itsnx7. Both Robert Alphmuo and Willie brgar&te uwo of mg8 8t thr tlm of 

their 8othr’I death. The (31.@5, aove mmtlond, 18 

at th@ prWwt tiwlti the ha%& of tb, TeEmher RetlIW#nt 

bye08 Of Texw. 

um lt01 quote wea l portion of pur letter of 

~&wry M, 1940, uhish pmrwit8 the matter8 ror our aaa8ueratlm8 
'mt1.w sfthe mtthatth, mi!wr hu 

died, wuldthe T8aoherRetlrematS~tembe 

proto&adla~*tlwaonoytotbCouAtJ 

Clurk? A, the l um oi ~lul, U -11, thla 

diioo road llbr to f&d a u8y to l ttle the 

o we r ith o u08t usi~ * l o ur t p r OWdW0 thRt 

rould be of l xpemo totb8pwt7ubo lm entitl~tonoelnt~~~,llLtrutr~k 

don. in l oordume ulth the Uu M uith full 

protectlom to (he Teaaher Retlr8mmt Systr. 

The Twehor Retinwat 6~lt.m uwld lib, to 

hRv0 pur optlaioa R8 to uhRt prew6ure wml6 

mdlhouldbePled1a~OUelikuthls: 

Artlole 4112q Seation 1, Yemon~~ Revlaod Civil 

stRtutw, 1925, pzwlde~l 

'seotloo 1. Uhenher eny alnor, lun8tl0, 

ldlot,ornonoanpoamont~,uhohU aolegal 

gwrdlan rhll be entitled to uvy wm or l w 

of maKtr not exo886lal: nro Iltudrvd An6 mrtr 

Doll8ra($2fio)fwmanypereon,~ro6rwatlan, addnirtrator, l xeautor, yuJlu\, or 

trwtee, arl,ing out or wy 1lpul~t.d ud unoontwkd Alvin, ruoh person, tim, oorpoMtlQI,rdrin~tntor,e~ut~,gurbl~, or 

trUDtW holding swh 11111 mat pq uy over t0 

the Cwntr Clerk ol the sounty in uhieh 8rid 

minor, lumtlc, idlet, or non oompa nentla 

re~l&S, r*r the waouat of raid miner, lunatlo, ldlot, w non oarpol me&lo, rab the reselpt of th8 county cl.* therete@ owl be 

foawer bind- on rria minor, ltuwtle, Idiot, 

ev non om mentlr, u of the d$e ud to 

the 8xtent of the pqnnt no uUe. 

T%la II the 8ktuk to rhleh 70~ rof'm' in uking 

uhether the Twchw Retlrment Swtem clould pay the ROMI to 

the County Clerk. 

It is mu- opinion that ttn $31.05 Rtuullng to the 

or&It of BWg8ret ?. lIenx7 oauld not aad rhould not be dirkm.6 under the jmovirlom of thir rtatu-, Ye to.1 tht 
. 

.Ibut a owrt ulll not UIWY to 

eon&d or lnk~tr&&iW If there ia 

119 aeawal~ for It to (ia so, the ID, ii 

:~ha~te IR ruaoeptlble ofbutone oou- 

. On the o a & r a wit , ix l ettlul 

by nny deelalam that there LI no roam ior 

0onatrwt1ml men the lw la l x p r aaaIn ed 

plain an6 unambll;uoua lm ud ita meanl.nglaolearudobvIou#. Iaauohaoase 

tholuulllk~li8dand8nfereedaait 

made, regaHlea8 0r its polioy or purpose, 

QP tha juatloe of ita l freut. m other 

uor'da,8 owrt ir not8utherIred tolndu1.p 

ln oanjerture as to tha Intontlan of t& 

Le~lalature, or to leak to the oamequeneea 

)f R $aFtsoUaw epaBtruIltion, unloam the 

YIQizy of the rkt\L in doubtful. . . .* 

The law, ln thla znatMo8, la alear and obvloua 

an6 la oweeptlble to mlr QII maatrwtloat trm oanatruotlom king, that the statute ormtemplatea payment bolag 

made forth8 br~fltof~Qb~~r~thatth,ilnoP. is 

l liringpenlm. Under the hot8, herein premented, Theodorla Wary la dead and aone of her heir8 am mlnora, 

thereiore, Article 41Ua 18 sot applleable. 

Your. next uk our opinion u to the proper ud 

aat plausible procedure to be tallowed In the diabumement 

of thlR $31.0!5. 

Artlole 2922-1, Seotlon 9, Vemoa’8 Revised Clvll 

dktuka, providea I 

%8 right or a peram to an Mnult7 

or a retimnnt allowance, to the return of 

oontrlbutmna, usnult7, or ntlrement allwuwe Itself, uy optional benefit or w 

other right aaarwd or aoorulag to any person 

urnier the prmlelom of thlr Aat, ud the 

mwoya In the VRrlotla fuaa omte6 by this 

Act, RN hereby exempt fra any Skta air m&alolp81tax.and ox~tfrfmleyamd sale, 

garnlabent, l ttaehwnt;or any other woaeaa 

uhltaoevw, and ah11 k uaaaaignablr,,e%oept 

a s ia th l~ Aot l ~olflcal~ prorlded. 
Rawmble Nortirr lbwa, tag8 

In the cue of Rodorn 

Yanowky, (Ct. Civ. Aw. ‘Pa., 

cm, on m 731, -1 

4 

Wedun of America vs. 

1916) 18~ 8. U. 728, the 

a fedmt In l r wr ImIat8 that, k - 

oauae the petition l hwo ea lta hoetbatttn 

fund sued for la wt praperty, any attempt 

by the l urt to l ubjeut It to ablnlatratlon 

l8 null ud void, aa la Uw oueulth haml te8da . Th.Ie la a 0-t propoaltlon of 

luutoexemptpropert7. Kinow v. Abbnham, 176 8. U. 671r Chlldwa v. lbnderaar, 

76 Tex. 664, 13 8. w. 1811 Bi(prarity v. 

lB@latt, 38 T’qx. Clv. App. 363, 85 8. u. 

-488 also, 1. J. kllino t Co. v. 

8. if. Thaopoon, Adainlatrrter @up. Ct. T8x., 

1879),51Tw. 71 8nd Vhik,etalva.Uhlte 

(Cl*. App. hr., l&35), 32 8. Y. 58. 

In the light of t.ho oases rlted and Section 9 

of MIol* 9924-1, even thou@ U. II. Wnry la the legal 

8dmInla tr a0r tc h la uite’a l at8te, It 18 mm oplaion that 

the 431.05 la not rubjeet to 8d8In~atntlon but puaed 

to lWodorl8 llem, upm the death qf her 8other, free 

tror may claim RgRImt the mother'8 e&ate. 

Then,upabthedeath oiTheoaorl8 i4cr1~7,u8usIns that ah0 died lnte8ta*, and th8t no leg1 nprwentatlve ba8 bw3 appointed, l llofher property, lnoldlng 

herrlghttothe $31.05 pused to her helra, whoever they 

atht be, tier our l t8tutea of deroeat and dlatributlon, 

Title M, Vornon*a Rmrlad Clvfl Statitem, 1925. Bee 

Ceatral Tmxu ktual Life Aea’n v8. katy. et al (Ct. Cl*. 

App. 

Ply 

1m), @oo.w. (na) 836, uhor,ths oa;rt~an 

" 

. The rule is thla state, u l l80- 

uhem; i8 that benefltr amruing undeir oertlrloatea or mmborshl~ In utiul ald OF benefit 

u8ocl8tlon8 vemt In the bwwfloiuy entItl8d 

thereto an 8uenJ8lalM p ur l ttlw Qeath 0r 

auoh benefloiuy to his legal repmaent4tlvva 

or heire. lkotherhood 

be, 101 Tex. 597, 603, 

Knights of tkoaabeea v. 

PO0 8. U. 6l41 19 R. C. 

and autherltiea elted la 

Bald ~1 e C. J. p. U17, 1 191, ud notes 

Rven tmder the 8lonaofsrrr 

wtlarkt 

a r te. 8306-830deelmrlng 9), that the l a p ea - 

utla th8rdn provided roe the death o? ai 
EemrableMmtlmrBmua,?age5 

rq)lgn SW11 be for the 8010 beae?It 0s the 

benefIrl8rfe8 mud therein, the r 

auoh l a $ enSStiVeStS OQ h Such 

b ene?io la r OIeQ l a wh death Usa purer QI 

the death of rwh kruiirlarlea to their 

helm or leg&m. Moom v. Lmbermen'a Rerlpmeal Aas% (l'w. Ca. App.) R58 8. Y. 

1051, lg.95P-lg56r Id. (Con. Am.1 a62 S. 1. 

1721 T~XIU hg1~r-m' IQS. Ass's v. Ha 

a811 (Tex. Clv. App. 1273 8. W. 294, 

It 18, thOl’8fOIW OUF OpillfOll thRt th8 heira Of 

Th~od&?rI8 II#nry are entlth to the (31.05, aad dlaburaemanta should be m8de under the provIaIons o?Sitle 28, 

Vemonta Revised Civil Statutoa, 1925. fn order to properly 

dlahrae the88 fUntl8, urd t0 prOt8Ot the Teaoher Retl.mtmt 

SySta, yau Should 0btS.l.m S??ldSvitS boll U. II. IWiry, 

Robert Alphomo Rtnry Willie Mrgarette lmnry Ua sevcrml 

ruplbrble peraom (this number 18 le?t to faur dl8oretlon) 

who know md have knom the history o? his fmll~. Ih+ 

purpose o? there a??ldavIt8 la to prove that the three 

above 88ntImked pa=aon8 LZT thr Sold heir8 Of ‘fh8od01'i~ 

88Iiq, u 18 StSted in the In?OMtion yoU hSvS ?WniShad 

w. 

In Order to l rtablirh th8 ?Sot tNt the three Shove 

meatlaud perro?n are the 801d ldr8 of hrodorl.8 me 

the tifldavlt should Include uang other thlI&B, th8t 7 i) 

the afflant M U V. I(. k xuy ma llyurt d Xenr n ltatl~ 

theaumberorpazm~ (r)u.Ir.Mmrgaretxeaquere 

married: (3) they h8d -1~ three ohlldrm, Robert Al honao 

HOG, cCilli8 BkwgRretto lb~amd modSriB xelary# P 4) 

$syetRe~dIed e?i orabouttb 

(5)aargaretmu7uu l urv1v~%r~uSb8nd 

lfeii& a son, Robert Alphonao Xonq, a dSUght8r, Willie 

Y. it. 

IWgarette Hem, ml another daughter, Theodoria Renq, 

uho was a minor J (6) Theorb rir Aenry, 1 8laur, died on or 

about the (7) Rt the time 

and had never been rrrtled prior to her death 8nd le?t no 

hu~knd or ohlldren~ that she had RO brothem or l Ister8, 

dead or alive, ot&r than Robwt Alphauo #8,nrlr 8brother, 

SM Ulllle lkrgarette wlnry, a l lrter~ or, I? Theadoria Renry 

hSd+xydeaeuedbrohhen lad sirten, th~tth~re dOUia88d 

brothers oral&ora left no8hfldrenrgrSndohlldxwkSr 

other dnoenduhta. 
Roooreble MortlmerBrown, Page 6 

upott the reeelpt 0s the ab0w mentimed midavita, 8nd proofs o? death of both TheodarIa and Margaret 

Henry, I? ymt LI1 SatiSfhd that u. II. ilent7 are the solo 

h8iXU Or ThdOdS Jar Uiii 

lntotuoequRlPartloau8nd 

in diViditt# tb 431.05 

V. II. m aed dIvId%ng the 

Rebert Alphan IIenq ud 

As l k ted 8bove,tNa 1QneT l8 tobedlabuxuod 

18 rcoard8nee ulth Title 48, Vertum 8 Rwlsed Clrll %tatUw, lm, 8Xid ii tb LituWitS WV881 thd t%bob6P18 

had utjother ttoln, atthetlae of her death, SWh~88 a 

husband, children, d88eemWit8 of auoh children, Ii any, 

01' bd my brothers 02' SiStWS, other than Robert Alphauo 

and Willie krgmette, w Ma had bro$hexm or 8l.8ten rho 

are na deceased but who left desoend8nt8, then the $31.05 

would hare to be pro rated difrermtl7, iA atroordanuc ulth 

Title 48, Vertm% Revlaed Civil Statuter, 1925. 

Ztuatlng that this ansuers y-our que8tlon0, ue are 

Yours very truly 

4 

Walter R. Koch 

488 i8tMt 

lc3 toorb